Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 586 - 587 

JONAS S. PIPKIN, a farmer and stock-raiser, living on section 28, Garden Plain Township, where he devotes his entire attention to his occupation, is a native of the western part of Tennessee, being born in Madison County, March 30, 1831. Asher Pipkin, grandfather of our subject, accompanied by two of his brothers, crossed the ocean and settled in North Carolina. One of his brothers was never married, and all traces of the other were lost a few years after coming to America. Asher Pipkin died when a comparatively young man, leaving seven children, namely: Lewis Cogdell, Elizabeth, Celia, Jesse, Asher, Stewart Cogdell and Mills. Elizabeth married James Bradley, of North Carolina; Celia married John Sollis, of North Carolina.

            Lewis C. Pipkin, the father of our subject, was born near Newbern, N. C., July 25, 1803, and was reared on his father's homestead, remaining there until after the death of his father, when he moved to the western part of Tennessee, whither the remaining members of the family subsequently followed him. He was married in Madison County, Aug. 14, 1828, to Marion Elizabeth Bowman, who was born Jan. 17, 1809, in Rutherford County, Tenn., being a daughter of John and Catherine (Swingler) Bowman. After marriage he continued his agricultural pursuits in Tennessee for several years, on the farm that he originally took up in Madison County, but subsequently he moved to Gibson County, in the same State, where he died Feb. 19, 1882. To him and his wife had been born four children, namely: John D., Jonas Swingler, Lewis Washington and Mary Lucinda. John lives on the old homestead in Tennessee; he is married and has a family of five children. Lewis lives in Kingman County, Kan.; he is married and has six children. Mary died in infancy; John and Lewis, though strong Union men, served a short time in the Confederate army, the latter being in the battle of Shiloh; but Jonas, our subject, took a trip to Illinois during the progress of the war to avoid being pressed into the Southern army.

            The subject of this sketch was reared in his native county, where his education was attended to, remaining with his parents until his marriage with Miss Susanna Dockins, which took place Oct. 13, 1850. She was born Jan. 20, 1829, being a daughter of Reuben and Rhoda (Hankins) Dockins. Her father was born in North Carolina, April 5, 1792, and performed efficient service in the War of 1812. He was married in Madison County, Tenn., in 1820. To him and his wife were born eight children, five of whom attained maturity: namely: Sarah, Louisa Jane, Susanna, Reuben C. and Rhoda Ann. Sarah married Hardy Fowler, a Methodist minister, and lives near Little Rock, Ark; Louise, now living in Tennessee, married John D. Pipkin, a brother of our subject, who subsequently died; Susanna is the wife of our subject; Reuben C. was a soldier in the Confederate army, and took part in the battle of Shiloh; he died April 15, 1884. Rhoda married John Foster, of Western Tennessee.

            After marriage our subject continued farming in his native State until 1864, when he went to Kentucky and located in Graves County, where he bought a farm and pursued his former occupation, remaining there until his removal to Sedgwick County, Kan., in 1876. At that time he purchased the farm he now occupies, paying for the 160 acres only $600, but by arduous labor and good management he has it now all improved, and has so increased its value that $10,000 is the minimum value he would place upon it. Though Mr. Pipkin has met with some reverses since coming to Kansas, having been so unfortunate as to lose one house and its furniture by fire, he has now reached a place where he feels amply rewarded for all his labors, and he and his worthy wife, who has bravely toiled with him and for him, can now pass their declining years surrounded by all the comforts of life.

            Mr. and Mrs. Pipkin have four children, all of whom were born in Tennessee, namely: Henry Nathan, Jonas Rudolphus, Mary Ann Levina and Lue Alice. Henry, born Sept. 3, 1852, married Wilmoth Gillum, and lives in Kingman County, Kan.; they have two children. Jonas, born Jan. 7, 1855, married Mollie Dawson, and lives in Kingman County, Kan.; they have three children living and two deceased. Mary, born Dec. 21, 1859, married Theodore D. Wykoff ; they live in Garden Plain Township, and have three children. Lue Alice, born Jan. 17, 1864, married Charles Southwick; they live in Garden Plain Township, and have two children living and one deceased.

            Mr. Pipkin is an influential citizen of his adopted township, and has taken great pride in watching its development, aiding its growth in all ways possible for him, and has faithfully served its interests as Township Treasurer for three years. In politics our subject is a stanch Republican, although he cast his vote for Stephen A. Douglas when he was a Presidential candidate. Mr. and Mrs. Pipkin are genial, pleasant people, well worthy of the high respect and esteem granted them by the entire community in which they live; and such people as it gives us pleasure to represent in this biographical volume.

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